A Coward's Run
by RyanForestCafe
Summary: Hiccup walks in on Astrid kissing some other dude and it pisses him off. He gets off the island and finds himself in the kingdom of Dunbroch and he meets Merida. But when a thought comes to mind, it sort of throws Hiccup in a twist of self arguments and it just makes him more frustrated than it really should have.(Requested story)
1. Chapter 1

**HERE IS THE MERICUP! FINALLY! GEEZ THE STUPID BLOCK!**

* * *

I had no idea what I was doing at the time. I didn't care about what I was doing, I didn't care that Astrid was with the others the peace with my best friend was enough. Every once in a while he'd bother me about being hungry and I'd give him a fish then we'd go back to walking through the empty forest.

I made leaf piles, sat on them, jumped on them, I even slept on them like my older best friend used to do. I remember we used to play together a lot. I think it was Nathan. His mother said when he was born, he used to always look at the dropped bolts of metal in the blacksmith shop whenever they took him outside.

**_"This is Myth." He said happily pulling out a very well-sewn plush. It was a blue dragon… I was always afraid of them. "I told you I'd get you something for your birthday! Here!" He gave me the dragon and I smiled at it. It looked nothing like a scary dragon. It was actually kind of cute. _**

"I really miss you, Nathan…" I muttered. If only he hadn't decided to explore the world, he would've seen my progress in life. He'd probably be proud of me.

**_"I'm gonna go to new places. Berk isn't the only place I can stay in you know. Unfortunately, you can't say the same." I was crying at the time. He was 15! He even admitted that he'd probably have no experience in fighting when it came to being attacked by any other tribes or dragons! But because I was 12, I couldn't do anything about it but watch him leave. _**

"Why'd you leave…? You never told me the real reason why…"

**_"Don't worry, I'll come back. Okay? If your dad lets Snotlout become the heir, then I'll take you with me! People might accept you this time!" For the first time, I was wishing for Snotlout to become the heir. _**

I sighed and pushed through some tree branches. It was sunset and I finally reached the cliff I'd been searching for. But…

I ended up walking in on Astrid kissing a random dude which wasn't the greatest way to end such a great day. I think the bushes rustling ruined their _special moment _which was perfectly fine with me. Like I said, I didn't care.

"Hiccup-"

"Maybe a walk in the woods all day wasn't such a great idea," I muttered to myself.

"Wait let me explain-" I turned my back on her and smiled at Toothless.

"I think we should go looking for Nathan now…" I smiled and jumped on Toothless' back before anything else and we took off.

**Arriving at Scotland**

I didn't keep track of the time we'd been flying but I knew Toothless was tired so I let us land someplace random. It looked like a Scottish Kingdom.

I saw a girl sparring with a boy who looked around 17. They were both wearing armor.

"Come on, Nate, you can't be serious! Are you sure you've never gone on a hand-to-hand combat with anyone before?"

"Come now, Merida, I never said anything like that." A laugh, "I think we're done here." The girl was staring at the prosthetics.

"Don't they bother you sometimes?" She asked sadly. He shook his head.

"No, they don't. It's like having armor on all the time. Anyways, I'm gonna head back. You can practice some more if you want but Carter is gonna be real mad if I don't get back home on time." He waved and walked back home. I stepped forward and decided to speak up.

"Hey… You guys know the closest place for shelter at the moment?" I asked. The girl turned to look at me.

"Yeah, you can come to the castle with me. I was just about to head home anyways. But that dragon of yours needs to stay in the stables with Carter and Robin.

**At the castle**

"Good evening, Merida. Who is this?"

"Newcomer!" Merida chirped.

"Oh, is that why you weren't with Nate when he came back?" The woman asked.

"I guess. Anyways, when are we supposed to eat?"

"Nate is helping out in the kitchen at the moment. So go show this young man to his room."

"You're okay with-"

"Dear, he looks just like Nate when he first came here. And he looks like a lost puppy, how can we not let him stay?"

"Way to compare me to a puppy…" I mumbled crossing my arms. I probably looked like I was pouting because the queen, I could assume this was the queen, began laughing.

**The next day**

"So who is Nate really…?"

"His real name's Nathan. He said he came from a small island full of dragons and that when he was 15 when he had to leave his best friend behind."

"Nathan…?"

"Yeah. He said he still feels bad for it. Leaving his friend was probably the biggest mistake he'd ever made especially when he didn't go back for him, he couldn't. He had people to protect here. He chose the protection of thousands of lives over his best friend and he didn't really know how to deal with it." Nate kicked someone with the back of his metal foot and landed on the ground unharmed.

"Well that was a great match. Now!" He punched a tree with a lot of leaves and they all fell. He looked so excited and was about to jump on the pile before…

"NATHAN!"

**3****rd**** Person's PoV**

Nate looked back probably looking stupid and was tackled to the ground. He looked a little confused for a second but he wrapped his arms around the person who'd tackled him to the leaves.

"So how was life while I was gone?" Nate asked smiling.

"A living hell."

* * *

**No slash, it's just a really happy reunion. :3 Merricup starts later. :3**


	2. Chapter 2

**I am back. I got a lot of ideas I think. :3 And by the way, kiss Nate goodbye because he's never showing up ever again.**

* * *

They talked all day it seemed. Well, Hiccup did. He began hanging out with Merida more as well whenever Nate had to leave. He'd usually come back sometime later in the month. One day, Nate left Scotland and said he was headed to another place and it really pissed Hiccup off.

"Are you freaking serious, Nate?! And you're telling me to stay here?!"

"Well you seem happier here! Besides, it'd be pretty sad if Merida was left with no one to hang out with."

"Why do you keep leaving? Are you trying to make my life hell again?!"

"Your life was already hell when I was your friend, Hiccup, so shut up and think," Nate scowled. "Dude, just stay here, I'll be back… Hopefully."

"Who's gonna spar with me?" Merida asked. Nate seemed to think about it for a bit.

"Teach him how to fight with a sword and spar with him! Even though you might win the battles at least you got someone putting up a fight."

"It's not fun when you win all the time, Nate." Nate only laughed. He put his helmet on and smiled behind the mask. Of course no one else saw it.

"Now you know how I feel."

* * *

**Hiccup's PoV**

I don't really remember how long it's been since he left. He said he'd be back within a month or so but it's been like three months and there's no sign of his existence. I guess he bailed out on us. Again. Merida was in depression. I never really wanted to spar with her anymore because it reminded us both too much of Nate. We both missed him.

_He stayed here before you came around._ A thought growled at me. _He hates you, he's just avoiding you. _

"Oh, stop being so depressed, Hic!" Merida said lightly punching my shoulder. Thank the gods it didn't hurt like Astrid.

"Do you think he'd come back if I disappeared from the world?" I asked suddenly. Merida only scoffed. Of course she'd do that. Everyone always told me the same thing. **_"Isn't it obvious?" _**I avoided her gaze.

"You're stupid, you know that?" Merida sounded amused instead of irritated.

"Oh just say it," I muttered, bracing myself for the harsh lecture.

"Okay, fine. Nate's been traveling everywhere for three years. Every single time we get a letter for help he always takes care of it. He's sometimes gone for so long we lose track of the days." She smiled at me. "He said he'd always try to get back home but he'd always be stuck in work. He's not just a traveler, he's not doing this for fun, and he's not trying to avoid anyone."

"Then why does he leave every single time I come around?"

"People scream for help every day. You know, he even left for Berk when he heard about the left leg thing. Didn't make it, got attacked and lost some parts of his face, his right arm, and left leg. He healed himself up, came home and Mother never let him out until she was sure he was okay to travel again. Even so she never let him go back home again. She didn't want to lose her son." I didn't talk so Merida took that as an opportunity to continue. "Nate never got to sail the ships back to Berk and if you remember what I told you before, there's not a single day where he doesn't regret leaving his best friend behind. He still feels bad for it. Leaving his friend was probably the biggest mistake he'd ever made. You gotta remember that."

I sighed. Yeah, even after saying that, I still had this feeling he hated me but I can't remember what I did… Was it because I bothered him and made everyone see him as the odd one out as well?

"Oh come on, don't worry about it. He'll be back before you know it!"

* * *

**Around a year later…**

"Merida!" A very familiar voice shouted through the halls. We both looked up from our game of "Guess What This Is" and saw Nate waving at us.

"This is a dream," I muttered. "It's a very torturous dream."

"Oh come on, I told you he didn't hate you!" She threw her things down (quite literally) and dragged me across the hall. Seriously, I wasn't even moving and my bum was hurting from the carpet. I think I had to pull my pants up once or twice to avoid the worst.

"Well hello to you guys. Do anything exciting while I was gone?" We both shrugged.

"We made up a new game," Merida said. I stayed quiet. Nate seemed to smile at me but I really couldn't tell.

"Hey, Hiccup, I got something for you." He threw a Berserker helmet in my hands.

"What the- you killed one?!"

"No, I beat him up. Kept talking about how you're gonna be kissing his boots. Figured why no beat up someone who keeps swearing my best friend will kiss his filthy shoes?"

"You- you don't hate me?" He sighed and removed his armor. Underneath he was wearing a shirt and some pants.

"I don't ever remember showing you that I did or telling you that I did. If I ever hated you I would not have beat up that son of a bi-"

"Change your words before Mother hears you," Merida cut in.

"Fine," Nate muttered faking a glare at Merida. "I wouldn't have beaten up that _idiot _for you."

"… Were you out for some serious blood when you left? What took you so long?" He sighed.

"Oh you know, I was out killing some threats and all that…" Nate smiled but then…

"You know, sometimes you just gotta remember some small details like… an enemy who hasn't given up yet. And you might wanna put that armor back on before something like this happens…" A new voice scowled. But it sounded somewhat… amused and crazy. Almost like Dagur.

And the next moment happened in a blur. Nate's on the ground with a sword behind the heart and there are five daggers piercing his skin, one at his neck, two at his shoulders, one right at the heart and another next to it.

Then he's dead.


	3. Chapter 3

**Molly: I refuse. :3 Besides, Nate was just a temporary character. I didn't really plan on keeping him til the end. Short chapter, I know..**

* * *

Merida could no longer think. It seemed all she could think was "_Kill him_" and I can't say I don't agree with her. Currently, I was eating this cookie with green paste in it and the cookie on the outside was supposedly chocolate. Best thing to snack on while I watch Merida beat up Dagur... with a sword... He should be happy he has armor on. Mmm cookie. **(Note: I'm sorry if this sounds unsympathetic about Nate's death but I was seriously eating an oreo with green mint stuff and it. was. delicious. I had to do this. X3) **I know it doesn't seem like I care, I really do, but this cookie was keeping my depression at a minimum. I need sweets more often.

On the bright side Merida was almost about to kill Dagur and let's just say I finished the cookie like popcorn, waiting for the best part to come. I sound sadistic, I know, but I fucking hate this guy, can you really blame me for thinking that?

... I miss my cookie... It was the best cookie in the world. Oh look, a plate full of them. And. they're. Huge. YES! GO MERIDA KILL THE SON OF A BITCH! DO IT NOW BEFORE YOUR MOTHER COMES!

"Merida! What are you doing?!" NOOOO! WHY YOU COME IN NOW?! WE WERE GETTING THERE! I huffed and put the plate of cookies in Nate's lap (we made him sit upright against a tree) and walked over to Dagur.

"Feel sorry for me, Hiccup?" I shook my head.

"Nope." I kicked him and three things happened. His helmet flew off, the prosthetic collided with his temple, and he probably got a concussion but I had no care at the moment. Man that felt good. I kicked him again, and again, and again (not in the head, though, I want him to feel all the pain I'm causing him right now.) Crap I feel like Nate...

"Hiccup, stop it!" Elanor pushed me back, picked up Dagur, and the next thing I know, I'm glaring at him as he sits pathetically behind bars. So much for a chief.

* * *

I never attended Nate's funeral and it's not because he wouldn't attend mine. It's mostly because I had no cookie and if I didn't want to burst out crying, I needed a cookie. I sound pretty stupid but I really don't want to burst out crying so I ran into the kitchen, took a plate of cookies, and took them back to my room and I ate in silence. I remember this one time Nate had a bagful of cookies and he threatened to shove one down my throat if I didn't eat it. I could understand why, I was super hungry.

_**"Dude, you're hungry, I can hear your stomach screaming," Nate said putting the cookie in my hands. I was around 8 and he was 10. For such a young kid he was already maturing. I suppose I understood that since he had no one to live with. He still kept 75% of his childhood but it wasn't enough. **_

_**"But it's your cookie-"**_

_**"If you don't eat the stupid thing I'll shove it down your throat and watch as you choke on food." I muttered 'sadist' before I bit into the cookie. It was surprisingly good. "I'll make more later, you can have them." **_

_**"Nate-"**_

_**"I don't understand why you don't eat anything. Is it because your father doesn't let you eat or is it because you have a low appetite? Either way it's unhealthy for you and now I can understand why you're so fucking skinny." **_

_**"Nate I was born this way." **_

_**"But still. You're gonna come here every day and I will make sure you fucking eat something before you leave." **_

_**"My dad cooks, you know."**_

_**"Apparently not enough." **_

_**"You're gonna make my stomach explode!"**_

_**"And when it's empty I'll shove more food down your stomach."**_

_**"You sound like my mother." Nate only smiled at me.**_

_**"I know."**_

_Now I'm here, eating a cookie, skipping out on Nate's funeral. That's great..._ I set the plates aside and muttered.

"I'm gonna freaking get diabetes if I keep this up..."


End file.
